Hull 47 Ilkley 21

ILKLEY'S hopes of a third National League Three North win on the trot were shattered by their ambitious opponents.

Hull, relegated last season, are expected to be promotion contenders and the Dalesmen should feel no shame in losing to a side that is coached by the former Wales and British Lions player Gary Pearce.

The visitors soon found themselves on the wrong side of referee Nick Ramsden. He had already pulled them up for a forward pass when he penalised them at a scrum.

Hull took the kick quickly and moved the ball swiftly along the line for speedy winger Jamie Clark to score a try which Josh Bragman converted.

Ilkley settled and held a seemingly rampant Hull side at bay. This time it was an injudicious comment that gave Hull the penalty which they kicked into the corner and scored a pushover try from the resulting line-out.

Skipper Josh Kimber issued a rallying call and led the response by thumping a clearance right into Hull's 22. A penalty was won and Joe Rowntree stepped up. His kick rattled the upright, stayed out and fell into the grateful of hands of a defender. Hull were running everything and they quickly turned defence into attack.

Ilkley halted one drive from a line-out but Hull were not to be denied and their winger Will Robinson sped in on the left wing for a try.

When Aaron Magee was bundled into touch on halfway, Hull opted for a shortened line and whipped the ball out through countless hands for Robinson to fly in for another score under the posts. Bragman's conversion made it 24-0.

Ilkley opened their account when Hull's line-out let them down for once. A long ball bobbled clear of Hull to allow the tenacious Elliott Morgan to pick up and race clear from halfway to score. Rowntree added the conversion.

Hull responded like wounded tigers and Ilkley's defence was called into action. Unfortunately an offside gave Bragman an easy kick at goal to make it 27-7 at the half-time break.

Twenty-point deficits can be cancelled, but it looked a mountain to climb for the Dalesmen. Coaches Rhys Morgan and Stevie Graham implored their men to up the performance. They were not let down.

James Bennett replaced Johnson on the right wing while full back Ryan Cooper swapped roles with scrum half Rowntree.

Ilkley won a penalty as their scrum now pushed Hull's big pack back. The kick at goal somehow faded outside the uprights and the opportunity was gone.

Now Ilkley failed to hold the ball and like piranhas Hull pounced and threaded passes down the line to put Robinson in for his hat-trick.

Graham replaced big Jon Hutchnson and Josh Cockerham took over from the excellent John Cooksey who succumbed to what looked like a bad foot injury.

More chances came and went as ball was coughed up by the Dalesmen to unforced errors. More pressure built from Hull but it was repelled. Then, out of nowhere, Hull latched onto loose ball to put Robinson in again. Bragman obliged to make it 39-7 with 20 minutes to go.

The Dalesmen weren't giving up the fight. They won a scrum on the Hull 22 and a pass from Kimber found Morgan on the perfect line to break the solid Hull defensive line and score. Rowntree added the two points to make it 39-14.

Ilkley were taking the game to their opponents. Steve Nolsen forced a five-metre scrum from which Rowntree took the crash ball and put Cooper in for a try. Rowntree converted and, with 15 minutes to go, a four-try bonus point suddenly looked possible.

It was not to be as the last acts of this titanic struggle saw Hull bag one more try through centre Ali Heard.

One of the final acts saw Nick Carolan being floored by a haymaker from Lee Brown which had apparently been delivered in return for a couple of sneaky ones from the Ilkley player. Carolan received a yellow card for his pains and Brown saw red.